The franchises of the Bangladesh Premier League "have been dealt a huge blow after the Pakistan Cricket Board refused to issue No Objection Certificates to the 26 national players who were set to be part of the Twenty20 event starting on Friday," according to the PTI. Bangladesh Cricket Board Media Committee Chair Jalal Yunus said, "A little while ago, we received a phone call from their COO Subhan Ahmed saying that if we don't send the Bangladesh team on tour to Pakistan, they won't give NOCs to their players to participate in the BPL." Yunus added: "We will hold the tournament without their participation, and it will start as per schedule, the opening ceremony on January 17 and the matches beginning on January 18." The seven franchises "will now have less than two days to replace the Pakistani cricketers, who were auctioned for this season" (PTI, 1/17).

PLAYERS KEEP QUIET: The PTI also reported Pakistani players are "disappointed with PCB's decision." Some of these players "were understandably reluctant to speak on record, but those who had contracts to play in the league feel that the PCB should have at least allowed those players who have yet to play international cricket." One player said, "The PCB could have reached a solution by holding back the star players to register its protest with the BCB for not sending its team to Pakistan but allowed those players who are only playing domestic cricket to go and earn some good money in the league." He pointed out that Pakistan "was one of those Test playing nations where domestic players were paid very little." He said, "This was a good chance for around 25 to 30 players to go and earn some good money, but apparently the PCB felt otherwise (PTI, 1/17).

STANDING FIRM: In another piece the PTI reported PCB Chair Zaka Ashraf "is adamant that they took the right decision by not sending the national players for the Bangladesh Premier League after the BCB twice backed out of its commitment to tour Pakistan." Ashraf said that the forthcoming Pakistan Super League "will provide compensation to the players who were not given NOCs to go to Bangladesh." Ashraf said, "Bangladesh weren’t the last option as we have other alternatives to resume international cricket in Pakistan" (PTI, 1/17).